Mission and History
Our history can be summarized by the phrase “new beginnings.” The desire to give children a fresh start or a better future motivated individuals in each of our regions to launch the programs that exist today. The desire to reach more children and ensure sustainability in a challenging landscape propelled the Club continually to evolve. The combination of these two forces created a brave and dynamic organization steadfast in its mission to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.
Small but Mighty
Concord Boys Club
The story begins in 1944 with the opening of the Addison Martin Boys Club in Concord. Named in honor of its first director, Patrolman Addison Martin of the Concord Police Department, the original clubhouse was located in St. Timothy’s Church on Highland Street. The building itself was little more than a basketball court, but under the direction of caring staff, it became the site of many, many happy memories.
When Officer Martin left the police force, the club was renamed the Concord Patrolman’s Association Boys Club. Then, attracted to the growing national Boys Club movement, the Concord Patrolman’s Association Boy’s Club became the Concord Boys Club in 1962.
In 1983, the Concord Boys Club became one of the first in the United States to formally add “& Girls” to its name, allowing girls to join as full members. Construction of the flagship clubhouse at Bradley Street was completed in 1987.
Branching Out
Becoming Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Concord
In 2002 the New Visions Teen Center asked if the Concord Club would help run an afterschool program in Hopkinton founded by a group of residents including Owen and Rita French, Bill Chapin, Sr., Janet Kryzaniak and Karen and David Dufault. The program was located in the Contoocook Grange and later occupied a house on Park Avenue, thanks to a generous gift from the Slusser family, before moving to Maple Street School for practical reasons.
Then in 2003 the town of Allenstown reached out to see if the Concord Boys & Girls Club would consider running an after school program at their recreation center, which had closed due to lack of funding for staff. The town offered to pay building overhead and maintenance if the Club provided after school and summer programming. The recreation center consisted of a double-wide trailer adjacent to the basketball and skate park. For several years, this building overflowed with kids until a generous donor purchased another doublewide trailer. Several years later, CDFA tax credits helped build a new community center shared with the Allenstown Senior Center. After years of transporting students from surrounding communities, the Club was able to branch out into the Epsom Elementary school in 2019 and Pittsfield Elementary School in 2022.
We’ve enjoyed strong partnerships with the Concord, Hopkinton and Weare school systems. Our school-based sites at Broken Ground/MillBrook and Christa McAuliffe were launched in the early 2000’s. The Boys & Girls Club at Weare Upper Elementary/Middle School was established in 2013. Soon after that, the Club ventured into early childhood education with a program Eastman School. In 2020 the Club opened a site at NHTI’s child development center named after early childhood education-advocate Mary Stuart Gile.
Programming in the Kearsarge-Sunapee Region began in 2010, when the principal at Simonds Elementary School invited what was then the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Concord to open a site in Warner. This program proved successful, and in 2017 Sutton Central Elementary School joined the list. For several years the CEO fielded calls from individuals in New London who wanted to bring a program to the community. Finally, thanks to their determination and support, the Boys & Girls Club in New London debuted at the New London Baptist Church in 2023.
Joining Forces in the Lakes Region
Becoming Boys & Girls Clubs of Central New Hampshire
Meanwhile, in 1998, 14-year-old Robbie Mills of Laconia lost his life at the hands of two boys who wanted his bike. In response to that tragedy a group of determined Lakes Region students, parents, and civic leaders sought to “provide a safe, supervised place for middle school and high school students during after-school hours.” The Belknap County Teen Center (later Teen Center of the Lakes Region) was formed and, in 2007, formally joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The Lakes Club had purchased a permanent home at the former St. James Church on Main Street in Laconia in 2013. In 2015, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Concord and Boys & Girls Club of the Lakes Region merged to form the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central New Hampshire.
Shortly after CEO Chris Emond had the good fortune to connect with Marti Ilg, director of the highly-respected Lakes Region Child Care Services. LRCCS had been founded in 1973, when new mom Sarah Allen started offering child care out of her home. The program grew to encompass three early learning centers and three after school programs in Laconia and Belmont. The Boys & Girls Club and LRCCS merged in 2019, gaining considerable expertise and experience in early childhood education.
Back to Concord Roots
Merging with Penacook Community Center
In 2022 we merged with Penacook Community Center.
Constructed entirely by volunteers between 1948 and 1954, the beloved PCC remained vital even as the area suffered hard times when local factories closed. Its original purpose was as a youth center. Most recently, the facility housed after school programs, award-winning child care, and a senior center.
In fall 2021, facing closure due to staffing and major facilities challenges, the PCC board approached the Club about the possibility of a merger. The Club immediately welcomed Penacook children into our existing after school and child care centers while the fate of the building was determined. Ultimately, both boards resolved that a continued presence in Penacook would be essential to the area’s social and economic vitality.
A capital campaign raised over $5M and the facility was completely rebuilt, re-opening in August 2024.
Another name change!
Becoming Boys & Girls Clubs of Central and Northern New Hampshire
In 2004, a small group of North Country residents became concerned that there was no safe place for children to go to after school. This group was spearheaded by Therese Reger, owner of the Four Seasons Sports Center in Lisbon (now Evergreen Sports Center), Denny Engstrom, Bob Butson, former principal of the Lisbon Regional School, and Bruce and Cindy McLaren. The Club opened at the Four Seasons in mid-February, 2005, with a daily after school program run by volunteers. A formal structure was established consisting of elected officers, directors and standing committees, and soon after the organization joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. A $25,000 U.S. Dept. of Justice start-up grant through the Boys & Girls Club of Manchester allowed the Club to hire its first employee, Bruce McLaren, as Unit Director. Bruce was good friends with World Champion skier Bode Miller, and prevailed on Bode to make a very generous gift to help get the Club going. Soon after they purchased the center and in 2023 merged with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central New Hampshire.
Meanwhile, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central NH had been working on a project to retrofit classrooms at White Mountains Community College to create a child care center in Berlin. When Great Woods Child Care Center in Gorham closed, the Club temporarily opened a child care center there, while the Berlin site was being completed.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central and Northern New Hampshire operates over two dozen early learning centers and after-school programs, including an early childhood education teaching lab on the campus of NHTI. Our programs welcome over 1000 infants through teens weekly. From developmental assessment and hands-on enrichment to community service programs and nutritious meals, our Clubs provide children and youth with the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.
